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#2 UPDATE: The Fallout Continues on James White Fudging His Teaching Experience by Peter Lumpkins

I recorded Bethany House publisher's change in James White's author profile April 1st. Unfortunately, for White, it was not an "April fools" prank. Even more surprising to me is, Scott Oakland's change in wording on his website introduction pertaining to James White's academic profile. Recall, Mr. Oakland was the very reason I brought up White's possible fudging on his academic accomplishments in the first place >>> Those who observed the comment threads will obviously recall Scott Oakland's non-negotiable position in which he vigorously argued his assertions were correct describing James... Read more →

UPDATE: The Fallout Begins on James White Fudging His Teaching Experience by Peter Lumpkins

NOTE: UNHAPPILY FOR JAMES WHITE, THE FOLLOWING IS NOT AN APRIL FOOL'S POST I logged a post March 23, 2011 entitled "Doktor James White on Fudging His Teaching Assignments," demonstrating strict Calvinist* James White continues to give the public a false impression that he presently serves as adjunct professor for Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, a position he definitively does not hold. While he most certainly has taught at the seminary in the past, he does not presently teach any subject on any Golden Gate campus, and, given the seminary... Read more →

James White's Challenge--Peter Lumpkins' Response by Peter Lumpkins

Strict Calvinist*, James White, the president of Alpha & Omega Ministries issued me a challenge—call up his Dividing Line program and let’s get it on. He wants to ask me some questions. But why would he desire to ask me questions? I do not count. He said so himself. Even so, I’m afraid it’s not me who needs to be answering questions but him. I think James White needs to answer a lot of questions, questions he continues to dodge>>> I want to make a list of questions James White... Read more →

Seminary Official Identified Who Cut Ties With "Dr" James White! by Peter Lumpkins

Doktor James White just spent approximately the first eight minutes of his most recent Dividing Line broadcast "challenging Peter Lumpkins" to "provide documentation of claims" I've made on this blog. Well, kinda. Much of the eight minutes was taken up by "Dr" White rehearsing all his accomplishments in debates and written materials. Another substantial block of the time was taken by dissing Ergun Caner yet once again. A third block of the time allotted was simply singing the same refrain we've heard from White so often before, "you sir, are... Read more →

Doktor James White on Fudging His Teaching Assignments by Peter Lumpkins

FINAL FINAL UPDATE (I promise): Go here to get it. FINAL UPDATE (I hope): Facebook and Twitter is chattering about James White's reluctance to correct the public record that he does not teach at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. If White does not perceive how his never-ending crusade against other's credibility is definitively marred by his own apparent lack of concern for forthrightness, then little hope exists his apologetic ministry will have any meaningful future. Some are already suggesting a letter-writing campaign to officials of James White's future speaking engagements... Read more →

Funny Fridays: "Defending" Rob Bell by Peter Lumpkins

Seems my defending an elementary principle like "do unto others" or "love thy neighbor" or any number of other ways one could state a prima facie moral assertion about the hoopla surrounding Rob Bell's book, Love Wins, keeps catching the attention of some. In fact, my posts on the Bell fiasco so far may be best expressed with something like this: one should not publicly present a personal review of a book when one has not read the book about which one presents a review. And, it seems to naturally... Read more →

Breaking News! I Agree with James White! by Peter Lumpkins

I'm often accused of being obsessed with extreme* Calvinist, James White because I happen to log dissent with him on several topics (one topic being the scorched earth policy White maintains toward his critics). And, I must confess, while I would not characterize my pieces as being "obsessed" with him or his ministry, I find his influence among Baptist Calvinists in the Southern Baptist Convention both real and viable>>> Even so, my momma told me to always find something with which one could agree with another person and when appropriately,... Read more →

Real Apologetics: Dump Debate Sites, Endorse Recognized Scholarship by Peter Lumpkins

Over the last year, the intellectual inadequacy of debate-site apologetics has been explicitly revealed. Inevitably, the "apologetics" offered at these sites end up tearing down people rather than examining truth propositions. Those who've followed SBC Tomorrow are well aware of sites like Alpha & Omega Ministries, the "debate-site" of extreme Calvinist,* James White, who routinely aims his intellectual six-guns at critics themselves rather than the critics' arguments. Someone recently said to me>>> James White is a fairly good debater in formal settings. However, he spends the rest of his time... Read more →

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND--"James White & God's Love (or lack thereof) for All People" by Peter Lumpkins

I put up a video several months ago visually demonstrating extreme Calvinist*, James White, and his view on God's salvific love (or lack of it) for all people. It captured the essence of his view albeit cloaked in an admitted exaggerated genre. It continually keeps recording stats. People loved it! You will too... at least some of you will... With that, I am... Peter *some accomplished theologians insist White embraces what's known as historic Hyper-Calvinism Read more →

Does James White and Alpha & Omega Ministries Embrace Misogyny? by Peter Lumpkins

UPDATE: "Dr" James White has answered and completely refuted this post! I am sorry to inform all my friends, James White has answered my piece with the devastating critique below. Take a moment and read it in full: "The current spate of angry and vile (let alone loony and dishonest) attack being hosted by Peter Lumpkins seems to be related in large part to vengeance over the exposure of Ergun Caner." You see, my angry questioning of James White's misogynist language is shown to not only be vile, dishonest, and... Read more →

Debate Expert: "James White Driven by Emotion Rather than Reason" by Peter Lumpkins

I had almost forgotten about a little gem posted by a debate expert who holds a PhD (1998) in Communication Studies from the University of Kansas, with a focus in argumentation and debate. And, according to him, he also coached two Baylor University debate teams to national championships in 1987 and 1989. He logged onto SBC Tomorrow June, 2010 expressing not only his expert testimony concerning James White, but also his personal confidence in the man, James White. In fact, he initially wrote>>> "James White is in my opinion the... Read more →

James White on Peter Lumpkins: "Radical Synergistic Bigot!" by Peter Lumpkins

Having a thorough sense of humor remains a non-negotiable necessity to survive in today’s blog world. If you take yourself too seriously—or more significantly, the opinions others imagine of you too seriously—you’ll bleed out slowly and painfully I assure>>> I happen to have been the topic of conversation recently on the Dividing Line Broadcast of Alpha & Omega Ministries, the site of extreme Calvinist,* James White. The inspiration for my honor of being a part of White’s talk-show was a piece I recently posted which drew even Richard Pierce, White’s... Read more →

Free Will, Ignorance, and Reformed Internet Apologetics by Peter Lumpkins

I don’t know if it’s unintended ignorance or intentional intellectual laziness on the part of many Reformed apologists, but options for theological accuracy coming from some of the more well-known websites are fast disappearing. Alpha & Omega, the apologetic website of extreme Calvinist* James White, recently put up a piece on free will written by contributor, Alan Kurschner in which Kurschner flatly denied human responsibility implies the concept of “so-called free will.” I offered a brief critique, pointing out the obvious flaw in Kurschner’s reasoning (and most all strict Calvinists... Read more →

Everything I Learned About Logic I Hope I Didn't Learn from Jamin Hubner by Peter Lumpkins

Jamin Hubner, a close affiliate with Calvinist* James White and Alpha & Omega Ministries, recently posted a piece entitled, “Lessons in Logic and Argumentation: Structures and Forms of Arguments – I.” It appears on both RealApologetics.org and the A&O website. My interest lies not in Hubner’s fondness for formal logic**; rather my interest is in Hubner’s logical guinea pig—me>>> I must say while I’m entirely flattered Hubner would choose yours truly as a public example of “bad argument” I’m a tad confused why he chose the post he did to... Read more →

Strict Calvinism's Absurd Denial of Moral Free Will by Peter Lumpkins

UPDATE: Alan Kurschner put up a response to this piece entitled, "Teachable Moment for Those Who Live in Lumpkins' World." So far as I can tell, nothing in it denies my teasing out of Kurschner's skewed moral norm I did in this piece. Instead he simply repeats his observations while flogging me for addressing the moral norm he himself insists is derived biblically. Apparently, Kurschner doesn't appreciate someone taking his interpretation and following the logic of it. Frankly, I don't blame him for wanting to forget about his "drunken teen"... Read more →

Founders Journal & Whosoever Will: Matthew Barrett on Steve Lemke: Part II by Peter Lumpkins

We observed in Part I of our reflections on Matthew Barrett’s* response to Dr. Steve Lemke’s position essay on Irresistible Grace in Whosoever Will** that Barrett failed to deal with Lemke’s biblical data. I concluded: “The fact is, Barrett didn’t deal with the texts Lemke cited in any substantial way. Rather he summarily dismissed them and substituted texts which were supposed to prove his own position.” In this follow-up, I’d like to point out a few additional short-comings in Barrett’s paper showing, from my perspective, that Founders Ministries should have... Read more →

Founders Journal & Whosoever Will: Matthew Barrett on Steve Lemke: Part I by Peter Lumpkins

Earlier we noted our agreement with Tom Ascol’s intention for irenic “debate” over the issue of Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention. The latest issue of Founders Journal was supposed to illustrate Ascol’s hope such an encouraging exchange is possible. Our lament was and remains that while Ascol may possess every intention of sincere dialogue with brothers on the opposite side of the issue, some of the language the essayists employed in the Founders Journal was, at times, both unduly provocative and unbrotherly* >>> What follows are some observations on... Read more →

Founders Journal & Whosoever Will: Observations: Part I by Peter Lumpkins

Founders Journal represents the theological thinking of the largest network of strict Calvinists within the Southern Baptist Convention, Founders Ministries.* In its most recent edition, Founders offers its critique of Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point Calvinism, edited by Drs. Steve Lemke and David Allen. The issue entitled “Theological Debate Within the Family” (FJ 82) unfortunately ran into some technical difficulties and is being presently republished (though the misprinted version had already been sent out). I want to offer a few observations about the critical journal entries and will... Read more →

James White and Extreme Calvinistic Apologetics by Peter Lumpkins

Earlier this year, hyper-Calvinist James White tried everything in his rhetorical arsenal to discredit Dr. Norman Geisler as one of conservatism's leading Christian apologists. He failed. Definitively. Geisler continues to remain at the forefront of apologetics while White loses teaching opportunities in respectable institutions. Now after a long vacation from his unbecoming focus on other apologists (e.g. Ergun Caner, Josh McDowell, Wm. Craig) he's back on Geisler. What set White on putting Geisler back on his radar? Not sure exactly. But... Let's see... In Geisler's third new edition of Chosen... Read more →

"Are Baptists Calvinists?" Revisiting Dr. Z.T. Cody: Founders Calvinists Worst Nightmare by Peter Lumpkins

From 2006, I wrote... Many of our Calvinist brothers often assume that Southern Baptists possess really only one "official" heritage--Calvinism. Inevitably quoting as evidence The 1689 London Confession, The 1742 Philadelphia Confession or, as Dr. Timothy George asserts in our former post, that Southern Baptists' "earliest confession" is The Abstract of Principles, composed specifically for Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1859, Calvinists assure us the truth of their claim stands beyond question. Hence, Calvinists, in my view, appear to wash the sink of any historic trace of significant non-Calvinism in... Read more →

Will James White Debate Louis Ruggiero? by Peter Lumpkins

Reformed apologist, James White (assisted by his blogging army of self-described minions) hounded Ergun Caner to "debate me" for over three years. This happened after a scheduled debate at Liberty University between White and Caner (along with two other team members) was canceled due to White pulling out over what many perceive as a minor technicality... More recently, James White has been busy attacking other Christian apologists. For example, White brutally attacked reputable Christian apologists Norman Geisler and Josh McDowell, two of the most effective Christian, evangelical apologists of the... Read more →

Doktor James White Apologetics: Connecting to the World with Love by Peter Lumpkins

#2 UPDATE: Note: many in the comment thread--not to mention the red-hot emails I received--have raised questions whether my video resembles what it provocatively criticizes. Yet, one representative "Reformed" brother has this to say about me for posting such blasphemous materials: Regardless, his [Peter Lumpkins] hatred of the doctrines of grace cast doubt on whether he has even received saving grace in the first place, for how can a true son of God knowingly and continually spits [sic] upon the grace that saves him?--Daniel Escondido While I could offer other... Read more →

UPDATE: James White On “You, sir, must be silenced!” by Peter Lumpkins

Update: Below is the video James White would like to ban uploaded to youtube: ========================================= Anyone remember my little parody video I put together answering James White’s absurd question: “Anti-caner sites? What on earth is that?”? (//link) Another question: anyone recall the outrage in White’s tactical squad when John Ankerberg petitioned Youtube to pull Mohammad Khan’s videos? I thought so. Well, in light of the two questions above, what is missing from the screen below? Time’s up. My video! Evidently, the video irritated James White so much, his ministry petitioned... Read more →

Dr. Ergun Caner Receives More Public Support by Peter Lumpkins

Contra the Muslim-Calvinist coalition led by British Muslim, Mohammad Khan and Reformed Baptist and Hyper-Calvinist, Rev. James White, a swelling number of Christian scholars and leaders are speaking out. Why? According to a statement just released... "Converted Muslim, Dr. Ergun Caner has been under attack by extreme Muslims and others who have challenged his integrity and character, claiming that he was not a Muslim, let alone a devout one, and that he intentionally made false statements related to his Muslim background and conversion to Christianity" (//link). Among the public respondents... Read more →

Update: Norman Geisler: A Final Defense of Ergun Caner by Peter Lumpkins

UPDATE: James White responded to Norm Geisler’s objection to the anonymity of TurretinFan. He writes: “…Geisler takes specific aim at TurretinFan for being anonymous in his blogging and writing. Yes, I know why this is, and I affirm that he has perfectly moral and proper reasons for remaining anonymous” (//link). O.K. Now note what James White says on his YouTube page pertaining to comments: It is my experience that the vast majority of insulting and absurd comments posted on the Internet arise from the anonymity one has behind a keyboard.... Read more →

I for one, with a tear in my eye, just thank God for you, Mr. James White by Peter Lumpkins

*On James White’s site are posted letters he’s received encouraging and comforting him in his time of deep sorrow for not only dealing with a “fallen” brother but also for the ceaseless "attacks" White has endured because of his pure passion for biblical holiness and the Kingdom of God... According to his encouragers, White’s purpose has been swept clean of any traces of total depravity. One wrote, “I for one, with a tear in my eye, just thank God for you- a man of profound integrity and everything the words... Read more →

John Calvin Goes to Berkley: An Unusual Twist in the Calvinist-Arminian Debate: A Book Note by Peter Lumpkins

Student minister, James G. McCarthy, who’s served on five university campuses (including Berkeley) has authored four books, the last of which is his first novel, John Calvin Goes to Berkeley. Being the first in the University Christian Fellowship Series, this volume was published by City Christian Press, San Jose, California, 2010. The plot centers around five students who are a part of the University Christian Fellowship Bible studies. Peace reigns in the fellowship until the inevitable issue surfaces concerning predestination. Then, division becomes deeply embedded, and the only solution is... Read more →

James White & Mohammed Khan: A Match Made in Heaven by Peter Lumpkins

"What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" queried the famous church father, Tertullian. A similar question could be asked about the odd love-liaison between the Calvinist apologist, James White, and a Muslim named Mohammed Khan: "What has Mecca to do with Jerusalem?" or "the crescent with the cross?" Nevertheless, the odd duo finds one thing both love to do: both men love to howl about Ergun Caner. Up until now, the two have howled separately. Recently, however, White became official ministry-partners with Khan and both were caught on camera together,... Read more →

Whosoever Will: Non-Calvinism Gaining Traction in the Marketplace by Peter Lumpkins

Earlier this year, Time Magazine listed neo-Calvinism as one of the hottest new "ideas" blowing through our cultural milieu (//link). Does this renewed focus on theological determinism have what it takes to sustain inquiring minds? Time Magazine does not say. For my part, I think not. Reformer Balthasar Hubmaier's most famous dictum is apt: truth is unkillable Even so, I just learned Whosoever Will: a Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point Calvinism is currently their third best-selling book. Into its third printing with B&H, another 2500 copies is expected in the warehouse... Read more →

James White, Elder Boards, and Accountability: Late Night Friday Funnies by Peter Lumpkins

UPDATE: No, the following is *not* a spoof. Make sure you follow the links... Sometimes, one cannot resist getting a big, belly roll laugh on the blogs. And, after a week of relatively intense flame rounds from folks, I end the week with a smile on my face. A new-comer commenter made a great point on the last post. Rarely do I offer rejoinders to my respondents as a main piece, but I could not resist. “Robert” correctly observes: “[James White] always makes a big deal about being accountable to... Read more →

James White, Southern Baptists, and the Fine Art of Rabble-rousing by Peter Lumpkins

I grabbed a few minutes to assemble my thoughts about the most recent fiasco with James White. My satire, "Spike & Little Chester," last drew White's blade against my throat (//link). Now slings his blade once again. Some query, "Why do you do this?" The same query was asked me in 2006 when I began to offer evidential sources against the Founders Ministries vision to "reform" the SBC one church at a time toward Five-Point Calvinism. Southern Baptists need more than ever to be informed concerning the aggressive, non-compromising efforts... Read more →

James White on Dr. Jerry Vines by Peter Lumpkins

UPDATE: James White wasted no time firing off a you-sir-are-a-liar post on his blog (//link). As I expected, he implies I not only doctored the video, but also made him say things he didn't say. Frankly, it's possible I misunderstood what he intended to mean in his wording. Granted. But White's skewed logic has no such place for misinterpretation. Instead, it's "you, sir are a liar!" What's humorous is, in White's "correction" of my interpretation of his words, he inadvertently misquotes himself! But if White can't get White right, how... Read more →

"Whosoever Will" Getting Good Press by Peter Lumpkins

As I posted late last week, Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point Calvinism edited by Drs. David Allen and Steve Lemke and published by B&H Publishing Group is already on backorder (//link). More good news is, reviews are beginning to come in with positive results. The Southern Baptist TEXAN has two reviews, one by TEXAN correspondent, David Roach and the other by Editor, Gary Ledbetter (respectively here and here). Of the volume overall, Ledbetter concludes: “Some who read articles by members of the Founders’ movement or hear messages from... Read more →

Whosoever Will: Off to a Good Start by Peter Lumpkins

Looks as if Whosoever Will: A Biblical-Theological Critique of Five-Point Calvinism edited by Drs. David Allen and Steve Lemke and published by B&H Publishing Group is already on backorder. I'm told the first printing of Whosoever Will sold out in two weeks. B&H is scurrying to get a second printing. It appears the wait time is 4-6 weeks. Whosoever thinks the young, restless, and Reformed coddling among Southern Baptists is not getting the attention of the grassroots Southern Baptist Convention may need to rethink their proposition. Our congratulations to Drs.... Read more →

Spike and Little Chester: The Perfect Picture of James White & Founders Ministries by Peter Lumpkins

What do Hyper-Calvinist James White (pp.95-96, footnotes 103-105) and Founders Ministries have in common? It's hard to put in words. But the little cartoon below says bunches. Enjoy... With that, I am... Peter Read more →

Isn't "Reformed" Baptist Just a Modern Rendition of "Primitive" Baptist? by Peter Lumpkins

Last week, I wrote this statement: "Particularly, two influential blogging Calvinists appear to have made it a life-mission to smear Ergun Caner’s life and ministry in the mud-hole of deception: Tom Ascol, Southern Baptist pastor and Executive Director of Founders Ministries, and James White, Primitive Baptist preacher and Reformed Baptist apologist from Phoenix, Az." (//link) In that post, I identified hyper-Calvinist James White* as both a "Primitive Baptist" and a "Reformed Baptist." Was I being redundant? While I've hinted at equating the two theological labels before, Mr. Bob Ross at... Read more →

Calvinists Critique Morris Chapman's Clarification: Part II by Peter Lumpkins

Morris Chapman offered a clarification of intent on his controversial statements concerning Calvinism at this year’s SBC in Louisville, KY (//link). And, while one should be glad Dr. Chapman clarified his comments, the predictable moans amounting to too little, too late came pouring in. SBC Voices, James Galyon, and Founders’ chief scribe, Timmy Brister offered critiques of Chapman’s comments. In Part I, I gave a few initial comments to Todd Burus’ response on SBC Voices (//link). Because Brister spends an exceedingly generous amount of time on Chapman’s brief commentary, this... Read more →

Calvinism: The Conflict That May Never Go Away

Ever fond of rummaging through that toward which many, possessing no curious interest in such historical matters, offer but merely a discomforting yawn, I ran across this little golden nugget from Alabama Baptist history. Elder W. C. Bledsoe, author of The History of The Liberty (East) Baptist Association of Alabama (Atlanta, GA. Constitution Job Office, 1886) writes of events leading up to the formation of that association, the first session of which took place "On Thursday before the fourth Sunday in September, 1836...held at the LaFayette church, Chambers county, Ala."... Read more →

SBC & Calvinism: Three Events That Widened The Divide: A Rejoinder to Tom Ascol by David Allen

Dr. Tom Ascol, Executive Director of Founders Ministries, the largest and most influential network of Southern Baptist Calvinists, was not only one of the participants at the 2007 Building Bridges Conference at Ridgecrest, he was also one of the strategists behind the event. Recently, he wrote a steamy article denouncing three events that "widened the divide" between Calvinists and non-Calvinists in the SBC: 1) An Article by Dr. Steve Lemke; 2) A Book Review by Dr. David Allen; 3) The John 3:16 Conference hosted by The Jerry Vines Ministries but... Read more →

Hyper-Calvinism: Professor David Allen Responds to Critics

Update: James White offered a response to this post here. I offered some initial remarks toward White's response which I may, after a coat of polish, post on the main page in due time. Since the John 3:16 Conference, there has been an excessive amount of attention to my comments concerning James White on the various Calvinist blogs. Allow me to set the record straight on three fronts: 1) what I said, 2) the context in which I said it, and 3) why I said it. By Dr David Allen... Read more →

Hyper-Calvinism: Professor David Allen Responds to Critics...

Tomorrow, I'll post Dr. Allen's lengthy response to critics concerning his paper on Limited Atonement which he presented at the recent John 3:16 Conference. He especially deals with critics pertaining to his remarks on Hyper-Calvinism. Stay Tuned... Read more →

Professor Roger Olson: An Interview Part Two

Dr. Olson, in the Introduction to Arminian Theology: Myths & Realities, you write: “The thesis of this book is that Arminianism is at a disadvantage in this controversy because it is so rarely understood and so commonly misinterpreted both by its critics and its supposed defenders.” But Dr. Olson, I hear so often that Arminianism is rampant in America’s pulpit--usually by Calvinist apologists. What do you make of that? Well, it’s a misunderstanding. What’s rampant in America’s pulpit and pews are not Arminians but semi-Pelagians. But what has happened is... Read more →

Jesus Loves Some This We Know

(Sung to the Tune of 'Jesus Loves Me') Jesus loves some this we know Five Point Calvinists tell us so Predestined to life some really are Predestined the rest to eternal fire Chorus: Yes Jesus loves some Yes Jesus loves some Yes Jesus loves some The Calvinists tell us so Jesus died on Calvary The Bible says for you and me 'Notso' says the Calvinist 'It's only for Elect', they insist Yes Jesus loves some Yes Jesus loves some Yes Jesus loves some The Calvinists tell us so It was... Read more →